Maurice A Ferre

US Patent:

6341231, Jan 22, 2002

Filed:

Oct 11, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/686188

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - North Andover MA
Peter D. Jakab - Canton MA
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA

Assignee:

Visualization Technology, Inc. - Boston MA

International Classification:

A61B 505

US Classification:

600424, 606130

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for monitoring the position of a medical instrument with respect to a patients body and for displaying at least one of a plurality of prerecorded images of said body responsive to the position of said medical instrument. In one embodiment the system includes a reference unit secured from movement with respect to the patients body such that said reference unit is substantially immobile with respect to a target operation site. The system also includes a remote unit for attachment to the medical instrument. A field generator may be associated with one of the units for generating a position characteristic field in an area including the target operation site. One or more field sensors may be associated with either of the units responsive to the presence of the position characteristic field for producing one or more sensor output signals representative of said sensed field. A position detector in communication with the sensor output signal produces position data representative of the position of the remote unit with respect to the reference unit. An output display in communication with the position detector displays at least one of the prerecorded images responsive to the position data.

US Patent:

6445943, Sep 3, 2002

Filed:

Dec 14, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/211365

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - Boston MA
Peter D. Jakab - Sharon MA
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA

Assignee:

Visualization Technology, Inc. - Lawrence MA

International Classification:

A61B 505

US Classification:

600424, 606130

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for monitoring the position of a medical instrument with respect to a patients body and for displaying at least one of a plurality of prerecorded images of said body responsive to the position of said medical instrument. In one embodiment the system includes a reference unit secured from movement with respect to the patients body such that said reference unit is substantially immobile with respect to a target operation site. The system also includes a remote unit for attachment to the medical instrument. A field generator may be associated with one of the units for generating a position characteristic field in an area including the target operation site. One or more field sensors may be associated with either of the units responsive to the presence of the position characteristic field for producing one or more sensor output signals representative of said sensed field. A position detector in communication with the sensor output signal produces position data representative of the position of the remote unit with respect to the reference unit. An output display in communication with the position detector displays at least one of the prerecorded images responsive to the position data.

US Patent:

6687531, Feb 3, 2004

Filed:

Aug 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/643271

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - North Andover MA
Peter D. Jakab - Canton MA
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA

Assignee:

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC - Waukesha WI

International Classification:

A61B 505

US Classification:

600424, 600426, 600427, 600429, 606130

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for monitoring the position of a medical instrument with respect to a patients body and for displaying at least one of a plurality of prerecorded images of said body responsive to the position of said medical instrument. In one embodiment the system includes a reference unit secured from movement with respect to the patients body such that said reference unit is substantially immobile with respect to a target operation site. The system also includes a remote unit for attachment to the medical instrument. A field generator may be associated with one of the units for generating a position characteristic field in an area including the target operation site. One or more field sensors may be associated with either of the units responsive to the presence of the position characteristic field for producing one or more sensor output signals representative of said sensed field. A position detector in communication with the sensor output signal produces position data representative of the position of the remote unit with respect to the reference unit. An output display in communication with the position detector displays at least one of the prerecorded images responsive to the position data.

US Patent:

6694167, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Aug 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/643608

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - North Andover MA
Peter D. Jakab - Canton MA
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA

Assignee:

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC - Waukesha WI

International Classification:

A61B 505

US Classification:

600424, 606130, 600426, 600427, 600429

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for monitoring the position of a medical instrument with respect to a patients body and for displaying at least one of a plurality of prerecorded images of said body responsive to the position of said medical instrument. In one embodiment the system includes a reference unit secured from movement with respect to the patients body such that said reference unit is substantially immobile with respect to a target operation site. The system also includes a remote unit for attachment to the medical instrument. A field generator may be associated with one of the units for generating a position characteristic field in an area including the target operation site. One or more field sensors may be associated with either of the units responsive to the presence of the position characteristic field for producing one or more sensor output signals representative of said sensed field. A position detector in communication with the sensor output signal produces position data representative of the position of the remote unit with respect to the reference unit. An output display in communication with the position detector displays at least one of the prerecorded images responsive to the position data.

US Patent:

6738656, May 18, 2004

Filed:

Aug 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/643815

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - North Andover MA
Peter D. Jakab - Canton MA
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA

Assignee:

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC - Waukesha WI

International Classification:

A61B 505

US Classification:

600426, 600427, 600429, 606130

Abstract:

A method of automatic registration includes forming an image of a body part including a representation of markers fixed in a known position in space relative to a reference mount, positioning a sensing unit in a known position in space relative to the reference mount, and automatically registering the sensing unit in space relative to the formed image based on the location of the markers in the formed image, the known location of the markers relative to the reference mount, and the known location of the sensing unit relative to the reference mount.

US Patent:

6934575, Aug 23, 2005

Filed:

Sep 3, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/234979

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - Boston MA, US
Peter D. Jakab - Sharon MA, US
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA, US

Assignee:

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC - Waukesha WI

International Classification:

A61B005/00

US Classification:

600427

Abstract:

A method of monitoring a position of a medical instrument with respect to a patient's body, including positioning a patient reference unit on a portion of the patient's body; positioning a remote unit with respect to the medical instrument; associating at least one field sensor with at least one of the patient reference unit and the remote unit; generating an electromagnetic position characteristic field; producing position data responsive to a sensor output signal that is responsive to the presence of the electromagnetic position characteristic field such that the sensor output signal is representative of a position of the remote unit with respect to the patient reference unit; determining image data representing a plurality of images of the patient's body; and displaying an image of the patient's body based on the image data and responsive to position image data that varies for different position data.

US Patent:

8473026, Jun 25, 2013

Filed:

Nov 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/602640

Inventors:

Maurice R. Ferre - North Andover MA, US
Peter D. Jakab - Canton MA, US
James S. Tieman - Watertown MA, US

Assignee:

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company - Waukesha WI

International Classification:

A61B 5/05

US Classification:

600407, 600424, 600426, 600427, 600429, 606130

Abstract:

A system for monitoring a position of a medical instrument with respect to a patient's body, including a medical instrument, a reference mount attachable to the patient's body for movement with the patient's body, and an electromagnetic unit for association with the reference mount and the medical instrument for monitoring movement of the medical instrument relative to the reference mount. The electromagnetic unit includes a first member attachable to the patient's body and a second member attachable to the medical instrument. The first and second members communicate by electromagnetic radiation.

US Patent:

20040024309, Feb 5, 2004

Filed:

Apr 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/427472

Inventors:

Maurice Ferre - North Andover MA, US
Peter Jakab - Canton MA, US
James Tieman - Watertown MA, US

International Classification:

A61B005/05

US Classification:

600/424000

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for monitoring the position of a medical instrument with respect to a patient's body and for displaying at least one of a plurality of prerecorded images of said body responsive to the position of said medical instrument. In one embodiment the system includes a reference unit secured from movement with respect to the patient's body such that said reference unit is substantially immobile with respect to a target operation site. The system also includes a remote unit for attachment to the medical instrument. A field generator may be associated with one of the units for generating a position characteristic field in an area including the target operation site. One or more field sensors may be associated with either of the units responsive to the presence of the position characteristic field for producing one or more sensor output signals representative of said sensed field. A position detector in communication with the sensor output signal produces position data representative of the position of the remote unit with respect to the reference unit. An output display in communication with the position detector displays at least one of the prerecorded images responsive to the position data.